Take-tjp for circular-knitting machines



H. i. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHiNES.

APPLICATION FILED. MAR. 5, 191eA l ,30'7,358 Patented June 24, 1919.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD MACHINE COMPANY, F PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA, CORPORATION OF TAKE-'UP FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed March 5, 1918. Serial No. 220,435.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD E. HOUSE- MAN, a citizen of the United States,

county of Philadelphia, and

at Philadelphia,

residing State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Take-Ups for Circular-Knittin following is a tion, reference ing drawings, specification.

ful clear,

the knittingof hosiery by means of circular knitting machines, it is highly advisable, if not actually necessary, to provide a take-up motion whereby the fabric willbe taken up and drawn down through the needle cylinder continuously while it is being knit. The use of such take-up mechanism is, however, more or less objectionable,

especially in the manufacture of mens socks,

inasmuch as it is necessary to release the knitted goods from the take-up motion prior to the transferring stocking, which inv operation on the next olves some The ob]ect of my invention is to provide a take-up mechanism,

especially applicable to circular knitting machines of the rotary cylinder type (although not necessarily limited in its application to which will take up ous and gradual manner,

such type of machines) the fabric in a continubut which will not prevent the ready and quick removal of the knitted fabric at the completion of the knitting operation.

By means of the specific embodiment of the invention herein set forth,

I not only accomplish the foregoing result, but the take-up is so constructed that the fabric is brought into, and held in, op-

erative engagement matically and only in chine and is, at other times,

free therefrom,

be withdrawn as readily,

least operatively, knitted fabric may therewith entirely autothe rotation ofthe maactually, or at so that the and in the Same manner as if no take-up motion whatever were The drawing, showing such of my invention, is

provided.

embodiment a vertical cross-section through the needle cylinder.

In the stationary frame a of the machine is supported the rotatable needle cylinder b carrying the circular bank of needles c,

which are actuated any predetermined way.

by cams, not shown, in Within the needle cylinder is supported a spiral or helix d.

loss of time.

flhe outside diameter of the spiral or helix is approximately the same as the internal diameter of the rotary cylinder, so that it extends spirally around the inner wall of the cylinder from near the top to the bottom. In the machine shown, the stationary frame is formed into a cylinder e arranged below, and in line with, the rotary cylinder b, and the spiral is continued through the cylinder e, its lower end being attached to the frame by any convenient means, as, for example, by a screw f. The upper end of the spiral extends into a circumferential groove g formed in the inner wall of the needle cylinder near its top. It will be understood, from the foregoing description, that while the needle cylinder rotates, the spiral is stationary.

As the needle cylinder rotates and the knitting of the fabric proceeds, the fabric, by centrifugal force, is thrown toward the inner Wall of the needle cylinder and necessarily contacts with the spiral or helix, the direction of whose curve is such that it tends to draw the fabric down as the fabric rotates, the direction of extension of the spiral, from its upper end downward, being in the direction of rotation of the needle cylinder. By reason of the fact that the pitch of the spiral is steeper than the pitch of the spiral or helical lcourse of stitches which the knitting mechanism forms, the tendency is to draw the fabric down more rapidly than it is knit, but the engagement fabric and the spiral, not being a positive, but a frictional, engagement, there is a constant slipping backward (or upward) of the fabric, relative to the spiral; the net effect, however, being the exertion of a constant pull uponv the fabric sufliciently strong to hold it fairly taut. After the knitting is completed and the rotation of the needle cylinder is arrested, not only does the take-up action of the spiral cease, but there is no force tending to maintain the fabric in frictional engagement with the spiral, and the fabric may be withdrawn as' readily as if nc take-up action had existed.

The circumferential groove g is provided to receive the upper end .of the spiral or helix d in order to prevent the thread of the fabric being drawn between the upper end of the spiral and the wall of the rotating Cylinders L between the linbefore mentioned, it is obvious that my new take-up has an advantage over those take-ups in actual use in respect to cheapness and simplicity and in that there are no. parts which are liable to. break or get out of order.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a` rotatable needle cylinder downwardly. within which the knitted fabricy travels` as it is knit, of a takefup device extending within the cylinder and adapted to surround the knitted fabric and to, engage said fabric as it is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and exert a downward pulling action thereon to take it up as it is mit.

2. In a circular combination with a downwardly within travels as it is knit, tending within the surroimd the knitted fabric and to frictionally engage said fabric as it is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, take it up. as. it is knit,v and release said fabric when Said force is inoperative.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, of a take-up device comprising a helical member within the cylinder adapted to engage the fabric and take it upv as it is knit.

i. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, of a take-up device comprising a helical member within the cylinder adapted to engage the fabric asit is thrown outward by centrifugal forceV and take it up as it is knit.

knitting machine, the rotatable. needle cylinder which the. knitted fabric of a take-up device ex- 5. Inl a circular knitting machine, the'` combination with a needle cylinder, of a take-up device comprising a helical member within the cylinder adapted tofrictionally and yieldingly engage the fabric and of such pitch as to tend to take up. the fabric faster than it is knit.

Copie; cf thisy patent may be obtainedA for cylinder and. adapted to tive cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

knitting machine, the combination with a relatively rotatable needle cylinder, of a take-up device comprising a relatively iixed helical member within and adjacent the walls of the cylinder and adapted, during the rotation of the cylinder, to be frictionally engaged by the knitted fabric and pull it down as it is knit.

7. In a circular knitting` machine, the combination with a revoluble needle cylinder, of a relatively stationary take-up device extending within said cylinder and' adapted, as the knitting proceeds, to surround the'knitted fabric and to. be engaged thereby as it is thrown away from the axis of the cylinder by centrifugal force, said take-up device comprising a helical member curved Vin the direction of rotation of the cylinder and tending, by its frictional contact with the knitted fabric, to take it up faster than it is knit, whereby a yielding pull ismaintained upon the fabric during the rotation of the cylinder while the fabric is released upon thel cessation of the knitting operation.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a relatively rotatable needle cylinder, of a relatively fixed cylinder below and in line with the needle cylinder, and a take-up device comprising a relatively fixed helical member extending within and adjacent the walls of both cylinders from the upper part of the needle cylinder down through the same into the relatively fixed cylinder.

9. In a circular 6. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a revoluble needle cylinder provided with a circumferential groove, of a relatively stationary helical member contained within the cylinder, the upper end of the helical member extending within said groove.

10. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a relatively rotatable needle cylinder provided near its upper end with an internal circumferential groove, of a relatively fixed cylinder below and in line with the needle cylinder, and a take-up device comprising a relatively fixed helical member extending within and adjacent to the walls of both cylinders, the upper end of the helical member extending within said groove.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pa., on this 25th day of February, 1918.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN.

Commissioner of Patents, 

